"It's an image of the hotel owner at a clay pigeon shoot. We had had six of the photos printed up and hung on the hallway wall. But a year ago one vanished leaving us with a blank space."

Richard added: "We'd thought about replacing the picture but we never found the right piece to put up there.

"And all of a sudden Parcel Force turned up with a large package and inside was the canvas and a framed poem. We couldn't believe it. Now it's back in place with the other five images.

"The whole thing has been a bit of craic but the mystery remains as to who took it in the first place - and also who returned it. We believe it was two different people.

Beatiful Lusty Beg

"It was a harmless drunken joke and no harm was done but we're glad to have our property back in its proper place - and we'd prefer if our customers enjoyed their night and left the hotel in tact while leaving."

The photo was discovered recently in a boat that was being sold and after a bit of amateur sleuthing, the new boat owner is believed to have discovered where it had been taken from.

And in a moment of compassion, she returned the print to the hotel with a nifty note.

Entitled An Art Theft, it reads:

Kidnapped by art thieves from Lusty Beg, Extracted by a gang who had consumed a full Stella Keg. Sailing away in a flotilla of cut throats, Hidden amongst children in one of the speed boats. Masterminded, the escape was in silence and hush, As we came ashore at a place called Drumrush. Soon I was positioned in a family's van, Seeing sights that would haunt every man! I cried many tears and developed a stutter, Victims were stripped naked and beat with a putter. Eventually I broke free under the cover of night I made my escape to return from my plight!